Dance with the Devil
by Reinao Tanaka
Summary: Hana Inuzuka is sent on a mission to guard the daimyo of the Fire Country. The seemingly simple mission takes a turn for the worse when she runs into an old friend. ItaHana
1. Chapter 1

It is now official, I cannot write a one-shot to save my life. Well, this is supposed to be a one-shot songfic inspired by "Dance with the Devil" by Breaking Benjamin. Let me know if you think it is a one-shot, or an idea deserving of a multi-chapter story.

This is set in post-time skip Narutoverse. The Rookie Nine are all fifteen. Team Gai is sixteen, and Hana and Itachi are twenty. This story is while Naruto is returning to Konoha, before the arc where Gaara is kidnapped.

I'm exploring a different side of Hana in this story. She is a less-experienced ninja who has spent most of her time as a vet. She hasn't killed anyone yet and is more idealistic and naive than I typically picture her.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-san. "Dance with the Devil" belongs to Breaking Benjamin.

* * *

_Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight._

_Don't you dare look at him in the eye,_

_As we dance with the devil tonight?_

Hana scanned the crowds surrounding her, sniffing the air for any smell of danger. It was exceptionally hard to do so what with all the smells of food and cloying perfumes muddling the air, but Hana had a job to do and she didn't intend to let anything stop her. This was her first mission in a long time. Actually, her first mission since she was assigned to watch over Akamaru after he had been poisoned. That had been three years ago, far too long for an Inuzuka to be trapped in Konoha. Hana loved her job as a veterinarian and being able to be with her family, but no canine is always content to remain with the pack. There comes a time when they long to venture out on their own.

This was Hana's chance. She and some jounin whose name she could not recall had been assigned to guard the daimyo of the Fire Country during this Western-style ball he was throwing. The man was paranoid and that was why Tsunade had sent two of her less-talented jounin to do the job. Still, if Hana succeeded, there was a chance that Tsunade would assign her some harder missions in the future. Her only protest was that the daimyo had insisted that her dogs remain outside. She shifted slightly, cloth rustling as she did so, and wrinkled her nose in distaste. Well, two complaints then. The daimyo had also insisted that she wear a blasted Western-style gown with a bell skirt which made fighting impossible. She was forced to rely on her nose and…what _was_ his name anyway?...to protect her.

Oh look, there he went now, dancing with some woman and totally ignoring the man they had been hired to protect. It was going to be up to her to keep this mission from failure. She brushed her long brown hair back out of her face, again scanning the whirling dancers. Hana sniffed at the air, then went still. There was a scent in the crowd she recognized, though she had not smelled it in years upon years. However, it was a distinctive scent—that of the lightning-charged air before a storm—one that she could never forget. The smell grew closer, so that she could distinguish the metallic scent of blood which mingled with his scent. Her eyes dropped to the ground, watching as a pair of polished boots came to a halt before her.

'_Don't look him in the eye,'_ she told herself.

"Care to dance, Hana?" Uchiha Itachi's smooth voice purred in her ear.

Without waiting for her to respond, he took her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Her hand was enveloped in his large, calloused one, as his other hand came to rest on her waist. As they moved to the lilting music, Hana's eyes rose slightly, looking over Itachi's shoulder for a sign of her partner. She caught his eye, but the blasted man only gave her a thumb's up and moved off with his own companion. Hana gritted her teeth. Yep, it was up to her to salvage a mission which had suddenly gone horribly wrong.

.oOo.oOo.

Itachi could not seem to help the tiny smirk which curled his mouth as he looked down at Hana's bent head. He remembered her as a little spitfire who easily matched his stoic nature with her own passion. Even now, he could tell that she was not afraid of him, merely annoyed at the situation. Amused, he tugged her a little closer to him, watching the way her head jerked as though she longed to look him in the eye and give him a piece of her mind.

He turned his head, noticing that Deidara was motioning to him. The blonde had been assigned to accompany him on this mission as he was considerably less conspicuous than Itachi's usual partner, the shark-like Kisame. Deidara raised an eyebrow, clearly concerned that the dark-haired man was jeopardizing their mission. Itachi shook his head slightly. He knew how to handle Hana. She was no threat to them. Speaking of which, he returned his attention to her as she shifted in his arms.

"What are you doing here, Uchiha?" she growled.

"What happened to Ita-kun, Hana-chan?" he responded lowly, taking the opportunity to lower his head closer to hers.

When they were children, she had had the biggest crush on him. He wondered if, despite all that had happened in the years since then, she still liked him. Her head lifted, furious brown eyes glaring at his chin. However, the tiny blush which colored her cheeks gave her away. He smiled triumphantly at this bit of knowledge. Deidara had no need to worry. Itachi had Hana well in hand and her partner was far too stupid to threaten their mission.

"You're an S-class missing-nin, Uchiha. You can't expect to pick up right where we left off," she growled.

His calloused fingers caressed her hand as he spoke in her ear, "Why not…Hana-chan?"

She jerked away from him, ignoring the disgruntled looks from the couples around them. Her lithe frame shook with anger as she fought the urge to look him in the eye. Itachi found himself less amused by her stubbornness this time. He caught Deidara's eye and the blonde went to work. He focused his attention back on Hana, watching from the corner of his eyes as two tiny birds fluttered from where his partner stood.

"What are you planning, Itachi?" Hana repeated stubbornly.

Faster than her eyes could track, the missing-nin moved behind her. His arms went around her in what would appear to be a gentle embrace, but in fact did an excellent job of pinning her arms to her sides. His chin rested on her shoulder and his breath caressed her ear.

"This," he whispered.

Deidara's birds expanded in a puff of smoke. The people in the ballroom stopped to stare, some uttering exclamations of delight at this new 'surprise' from the daimyo. Hana's eyes widened in shock as her sense of smell detected the explosive capability of these works of art.

"Watch-!" she started to cry, struggling in Itachi's embrace.

For a reason beyond himself, the Uchiha found himself taking her with him as he vanished in a puff of smoke. They appeared a safe distance from the ballroom. Hana pulled herself away from Itachi, but had only taken a few steps when the building went up in a burst of fire. The Inuzuka froze in shock for only a moment, tears blurring her eyes. She whirled toward Itachi, pulling a kunai from its place within her voluminous skirts. He intercepted it and easily disarmed her in her stunned state, pulling her back against him. She pounded a fist against his chest in helpless rage. Forgetting herself, Hana looked up into crimson eyes which showed no remorse.

"All those innocent people…" she whispered.

"It was necessary," he responded blankly.

Hana exploded into motion, again fighting to free herself. Itachi caught the fists she aimed at his face, restraining her with a gentleness that was quite unlike him.

"You…you devil, you murdered them!" she screamed, "What did they do to you?"

Itachi transferred her wrists to one hand, using his other to lift her chin. He met her gaze with calm eyes, a sharp contrast to the furious tears which spilled from her brown orbs.

"They were in the way, Hana. A shinobi does what he must to accomplish his mission. You know that. You would have done the same in my place," he said.

She shook her head, long hair falling into her face. Something in Itachi's heart, which he denied even existed, twisted at the sight of the hatred she now held for him. He lowered his head next to hers.

"I should have left you there, Hana-chan," he said softly, before pulling back.

His eyes shifted into the Mangekyou form of the Sharingan, catching her unawares. She collapsed limply into his arms just as Deidara arrived. The blonde eyed the young woman before returning his attention to his temporary partner.

"What is she to you?" he asked curiously.

Itachi laid her down on the ground, brushing the hair back out of her face. In the distance, he could hear the frantic barking of her trio of canines as they searched the ruins for their mistress. He straightened, not looking at Deidara.

"She means nothing to me," he answered, turning and heading back in the direction of the Akatsuki base.

"Nothing, yeah," Deidara grunted disbelievingly.

He crouched to study the young woman's rather plain features, taking note of the leaf symbol woven into her gown. Someone from Itachi's home village then. An old friend maybe? He stood, eager to return to being partnered with Sasori. The Uchiha was far too complex and confusing for him to ever hope to understand.

"I don't know whether you are lucky or unfortunate to have caught Itachi-san's eye, yeah," he muttered to the unconscious woman, turning and following after his fellow missing-nin.

Time would tell, he guessed.


	2. Chapter 2

I apologize for the lack of updates recently. I only have three weeks left of the semester, so things are going a bit crazy here. On top of that, I have been hit with a bad case of writer's block. I have hopefully managed to break that with this chapter, but we'll have to see. n.n In the meantime, please enjoy.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-san. "Dance with the Devil" belongs to Breaking Benjamin. Hormonal Itachi belongs to me...-is taken aside by lawyers-...that is, he belongs to Kishimoto-san as well.

* * *

**Part Two**

_Close your eyes,_

_So many days go by._

_Easy to find what's wrong,_

_Harder to find what's right._

_The first thing Hana became aware of was the music. Her eyes opened and she found herself looking down. She was wearing a deep green Western-style gown with the symbol of Konoha embroidered in gold on the bodice. Some part of her mind registered it as the very dress she had worn to the Fire daimyo's party, but her thoughts were already turning to her partner._

She could hear whining, could feel the wet noses of her dogs brushing her cheeks. They were worried about her and wanted her to wake up, but she couldn't seem to open her eyes.

_Boots, black boots that were so highly polished that she had no doubt that, if she bent close enough, she would be able to see her reflection in them. Close-fitting black pants were tucked into the knee-high boots and her gaze traveled up them to the dress shirt the man wore—red, like the blood underlying his stormy scent. Black cloak, the high collar reaching her partner's chin. Pale skin, aristocratic features…he was handsome but for the two lines stress had carved on either side of his nose. Dark hair, pulled back to keep it out of his face. Scrutiny of him completed, she turned her eyes to meet his own._

"Hana? Oh, Kami, Hana! Is she all right?"

Her mother's voice, accompanied by the pressure of fingers against her throat.

"She's fine, just unconscious. We had better get her back to Konoha."

This voice was unfamiliar and followed by the feeling of gentle hands lifting her. Somewhere in the background, her dogs were still whining and she could smell her mother's worry.

'I'm all right,' she wanted to say but just as her eyes would not open, neither would her mouth allow her to speak the words.

_His eyes were crimson, the iris black. That rational part of her mind was screaming reproach, warning her not to meet his gaze, but she couldn't help it. His clothes must have been designed to match his eyes, she decided. The music swept around her and she surrendered to its hypnotic pull. Her eyes closed as she leaned her head against her partner's chest. Despite his lean build, she could feel the muscles shifting beneath her. He must be a shinobi then._

"_Do I know you?" she asked._

_She felt his chest vibrate beneath her a moment before his soft laughter reached her ears. He had a pleasant laugh, though it seemed unused._

"_Yes, you know me," he responded._

"Inuzuka Hana, if you can hear me, I need you to respond. Blink your eyes, squeeze my hand, whatever you can do."

Another unfamiliar voice, a female's this time, though she had the sense that she should know it. She wanted to obey, but her body was not following the commands of her mind.

"Tsunade-sama, her vital signs are dropping."

"Hana, I need you to wake up now," said the female voice which must belong to this Tsunade.

It had gained urgency after the other person's announcement.

_The two swayed to the music and Hana leaned more heavily against her partner. She was feeling weak all of a sudden. The man's arms tightened around her, then he pushed her back to meet her eyes. His expression was serious. The part of her mind that was still functioning informed her that he always looked that way. She wondered if the constant frown made his face hurt._

"_I have to let you go now, Hana-chan," he said._

_His name came to her then, as though she had never forgotten it._

"_No, Ita-kun. I don't want to lose you again," she said._

_Something she couldn't quite name flickered in those crimson eyes before they melted to onyx. The music faltered and the world around them began to fade._

"_I'm sorry…Hana-chan," his deep voice rumbled before his lean form vanished along with the dream world._

"She's stabilizing, Tsunade-sama!"

"About time. I really thought we were going to lose her," Tsunade replied.

Then, even that world faded and Hana knew no more.

When the world came back into focus, she was lying in a hospital bed. She blinked up at the white ceiling, then turned her head to the left to look out the window. The sun was shining and, in the distance, she could hear the sound of children playing during recess at the academy. She knew without being told that she had been unconscious for quite some time.

She sniffed at the air, recognizing a familiar scent. Her head turned to the right and there was the messy brown hair of her younger brother. Her lips lifted in a weak smile and she reached out to lay a hand on his head. The effort took far more of her strength than it had any right to, so she had to settle for leaving her hand in place rather than ruffling his hair as she intended to.

Kiba sat up, wiping the sleep from his eyes. When he saw that she was awake, he quickly reached over and grabbed the hand which had flopped onto the bed when he straightened. His eyes clearly demonstrated his concern for his sister.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked.

"I..." Hana coughed, her throat too dry to speak. Kiba quickly poured her a glass of water, lifting her up and helping her take a sip of it. When she was again lying back, she finished, "I'm fine, just a little weak still. How long have I been out?"

"Nearly a week. Okaasan and I were afraid you weren't ever going to wake up," he admitted.

Hana winced. Just a few seconds of looking into Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan had rendered her unconscious for an entire week. No doujutsu should be that powerful.

"Now I know how you felt after Akamaru and I fought that Sound ninja," Kiba said.

His reference brought her own dogs to mind.

"Where are the Haimaru?" she asked.

"Okaasan's looking after them," Kiba eyed her for a moment, "Do you think you'll be all right? I told Kurenai-sensei that I would train with the team this afternoon."

Hana nodded, "I'm not going anywhere, Kiba. I can always call a nurse if I need anything."

The fifteen-year old nodded, bending to give her an awkward hug before leaving the hospital room. Hana shook her head. Teenage boys and their aversion to public displays of affection, she thought. Still, his hug meant a lot, especially as she looked around the bare room and realized how alone and vulnerable she was. Her dogs were at home with her mother, her brother was now gone, and she didn't feel as if she had the energy to lift a kunai, let alone actually fight.

'_You're being paranoid, Hana. Itachi certainly wouldn't come to Konoha just for you,' _she thought.

She closed her eyes, trying to drift back to sleep. She had almost succeeded when a strong breeze came through the open window. Her brown eyes flew open and she struggled to a sitting position, sniffing again. She hadn't been mistaken.

He was here.

She reached over to hit the alarm button on the bed railing.

.oOo.oOo.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Itachi-san," Kisame's rough voice said.

Itachi blinked once to adjust his eyes to the sunlight. He rose to his feet, showing no sign of unsteadiness even though he had been sitting Indian-style for several hours. Kisame stood as well, adjusting his gigantic sword, Samehada, to a more comfortable position on his back. His white eyes fixed on his smaller companion's face.

"What did Leader say?" he asked.

"We are not to go after the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki so soon after capturing the Ichibi, so right now we do not have a mission," Itachi said.

The shark-nin regarded his companion suspiciously.

"You knew that would happen, didn't you, Itachi-san?" he asked. When the Uchiha did not answer him, he added, "Then why did we come to Konoha?"

"I have something to take care of," Itachi explained tonelessly.

Kisame's gaze sharpened.

"Does this have to do with that kunoichi Deidara mentioned?" he said.

Itachi didn't even pause, just kept walking toward the town below them. The shark-nin shook his head.

"Leader will not be happy about this, Itachi-san," he muttered, then raised his voice, "I'll meet you back here in an hour then."

Itachi lifted a hand.

Kisame sighed, "Two hours then. I am going to need a big bottle of sake."

Itachi heard every word his partner had spoken, of course, but did not feel inclined to respond to his useless comments. Going to visit an old friend did not mark him as weak. Leader had no cause to worry.

He discarded the black cloak patterned with red clouds which instantly marked him as Akatsuki, instead entering Konoha as a civilian. Taking an educated guess, he headed for the hospital rather than the Inuzuka compound. If his Mangekyou had managed to take the Copy-nin out for several days, then Hana should have been unconscious for at least a week since she had no Sharingan to lessen the power of his mental attack. He stopped at the front desk, smiling politely at the pretty nurse.

"I am looking for Inuzuka Hana. She is an old friend of mine and I heard she was injured," he said.

"Room 342, sir. She is still very weak, so please do not stay too long," the nurse said.

He nodded to her and started toward the stairs. When he reached the third floor, he began to move more cautiously. Even if no one else would recognize the form he had henge-ed into, Hana would be able to recognize him by his smell. Sure enough, when he looked into her room, she was reaching for the alert button. He caught her hand before it touched the panel, grasping it tightly in one long-fingered hand. She glared at his chin, trying to pull her hand free. Itachi smirked.

"Back to that, are we, Hana-chan?" he purred.

""Naruto isn't here, Uchiha," she shot back.

He noticed her free hand creeping across the bed and captured that one as well.

"It isn't Naruto-kun's bedroom I'm standing in, is it?" he asked lowly.

The woman stiffened, her eyes darting up to his before she recalled herself and looked away from the crimson orbs.

"Then what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Maybe I decided to finish what was started last week," he said.

Hana shook her head, "You wouldn't have wasted effort saving me only to kill me later."

Itachi found himself irritated by her confident answer, if only because she seemed to have a better grasp on his motives than he himself did. Unfortunately, the Inuzuka took advantage of his distraction to wrench herself free and run for the door. Itachi caught up with her in one step, yanking her back against him and securing her there. His hand rested at the base of her throat in warning. Just a few inches and he would be strangling her.

"Why don't you just scream for help, Hana-chan?" he whispered into her ear.

For a moment, she seemed as frustrated as he; however, she did not try to hide it.

"I don't know," she answered at last.

His thumb rubbed the side of her neck, feeling the pulse of her lifeblood just beneath the skin. All it would take was one tightening of the fingers and he could crush her windpipe. Or better yet, he could pull out a kunai and watch her blood pool across the pristine floor as she died. But…this was Hana, and that simple fact somehow rendered him incapable of carrying through with his morbid imaginings. He lowered his head further, so that his lips brushed her neck when he spoke.

"What have you done to me?" he whispered, "If this is some sort of genjutsu, I want it undone."

She turned her head, brown eyes wide as they met his. Her body was trembling against his and it was causing his pulse to jump—something that not even slaughtering his clan had managed to do.

"I…I don't understand," she stammered.

He leaned closer, drawn by something he did not understand.

"Then I will make you understand," he said.

Her eyes dropped to his lips then as she licked her own. His pulse slammed into overdrive. He jerked himself away from her suddenly, shaking his head as though to clear out the fog which had taken up residence there. What had he been about to do?

Just then, a chorus of howls broke loose outside. Apparently her trio of canines had caught wind of him as well. He released Hana, letting her slump to the floor, and left the hospital. He had regained his composure by the time he met back up with Kisame, telling him tonelessly that they should head back to the base. However, the shark-nin had a knowing look in his eyes that said he knew something had happened.

.oOo.oOo.

Later that afternoon, in a different room in the Konoha hospital, three ninjas were holding a conference. Jiraiya, as usual, sat in the window, arms folded across his chest and white hair blowing in the breeze. Tsunade leaned against the wall by the door, as far away from her former teammate as she could be without leaving the room. Between them, Kakashi lay on his bed, his single eye intense despite his lingering exhaustion from overworking his Sharingan.

"Why would he go after Hana?" Tsunade asked, frustration evident in her brown eyes.

"They used to be friends, back in the academy," Jiraiya tried.

The blond Hokage scowled at him, making it clear she didn't consider him helpful.

"But he obviously wasn't too close to her, since it was Uchiha Shisui he killed to gain the Mangekyou," she shot back.

"You are underestimating Itachi," Kakashi said tiredly.

The two sannin set aside their brewing argument, both fixing their eyes on the masked jounin. Tsunade stepped closer, crossing her arms over her ample chest.

"Explain," she demanded.

"Uchiha clan records state that one has to kill one's best _friend_ to gain the Mangekyou," Kakashi emphasized, glancing between them to see if they understood.

He received two equally blank stares and sighed.

"Uchiha Shisui was the man Itachi considered his best friend. Inuzuka Hana, however, was apparently more than that. I think he is in love with her," the jounin said, "Consider, he saved her from the explosion when he could have easily let her die. He left her in a place where Konoha shinobi were able to easily find her and get her medical attention. Now, he comes to Konoha and instead of looking for Naruto, he goes straight to the hospital and asks to see Hana, claiming to be an old friend. It makes sense, though I would doubt Itachi even realizes it."

Tsunade's brown eyes lit up.

"Even if he doesn't, he's bound to come back to see her again. When he does, we'll have to be ready for him," she said.

* * *

I spy with my little eye...something that resembles a plot! Anyway, this does seem to be a continuing series, though I have no idea how long it will be. I guess it will depend on how long my inspiration holds out.

Can anyone tell me if Hana's trio of dogs are really called the Haimaru? I think that is what I've heard them called in other fics, but I can't find it on any reliable source. Thanks!

**Akai-sora:** Yeah, I typically run from song-fics myself. But then I thought, why not revolutionize the song-fic by actually making it a song-FIC and not a SONG-fic. It is my attempt at greatness. As for having time on my hands, I typically just do a good job fooling you. I spend my time at work planning out the next chapter in my head, then use any spare time writing it down. It typically works, unless I get writer's block like I did this week. Then you get the truth that I am really swamped but too obsessed to give up writing and focus on schoolwork. n.n

**Blackfpheonix:** It is a different take on Hana than what I expected too. When I was picturing it in my head, however, I just couldn't see our typical brash Hana meekly dancing with Itachi, so I had to change her a bit. Glad you liked my change.

Let me know what you guys think! I have the worst time keeping Itachi in character and he was rebelling against my plot. Please let me know if you thought he stayed mainly IC, other than the fact that his hormones are finally kicking in. Better late than never, as they say. n.n Please give the review button some love, even if it just a sentence or two!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-san. "Dance With The Devil" belongs to Breaking Benjamin. Kazuo-sensei belongs to me. Ha, take that lawyers!

* * *

**Part Three**

_I believe in you.  
I can show you that  
I can see right through  
All your empty lies._

**Fifteen years ago…**

Screaming and protesting, Inuzuka Hana was shoved into the academy classroom. She shoved her unruly hair out of her face, wild brown eyes glaring at the older children who gaped at her appearance. She bared her canines, a growl starting in her throat, before it was muffled by her father's hand. He gave her a reproving look and she subsided.

"Kazuo-sensei, I understand that this is unusual, but both her mother and I are on active duty and we have no one to watch her. She does already show promise, so I don't think you would be wasting your time by beginning to train her now," he said lowly to the chuunin teacher.

The man smiled kindly at the little girl.

"It's no problem, Inuzuka-san. We actually have another student her age who recently joined us," Kazuo said.

"Behave," her father instructed her firmly before leaving the classroom.

"Everyone, this is Inuzuka Hana. She will be joining us from today forward. Itachi-kun, would you raise your hand? Hana-chan will be sitting next to you," the chuunin instructed.

Several of the girls gave Hana evil glares as she stalked past them. She fell into the seat next to a dark-haired boy her own age, not even giving him a glance. Her nose crinkled as she sniffed at the air. Her seatmate at least smelled interesting—like lightning.

'_Raikou,'_ she mentally named him.

Like many Inuzuka, she classified people by scent rather than their actual names.

"Hello," Itachi offered politely.

In return, she gave him a low growl and that was all until the class was let out for recess. Hana found herself relegated to the swing at the edge of the schoolyard, swinging aimlessly as her eyes followed the older children. They kept casting derisive looks her way and she caught the words 'dog girl.' She snarled at the next person to look at her, but wasn't too distressed by them. After all, she was from the Inuzuka, the clan who used dogs. Those children weren't insulting her as they thought they were. Then, she caught the next comment.

"They aren't even real ninja anyway. Their dogs do all the work," one boy said.

Hana rose from the swing, stalking over to the huddle of children. Her brown eyes were furious as they met those of the child who had made the comment.

"Take that back!" she demanded.

The boy smirked and shot back, "Make me."

With a growl, she launched herself at the bigger child. They both went into the dirt and instantly a crowd gathered around them, most cheering on the boy. Hana managed to get in a few good punches, as well as a nasty bite, before the boy rallied and really started fighting back. He was better trained than the Inuzuka, who was fighting on mere instinct. Soon, she was staggering backward, bleeding from a cut lip. The children behind her shoved her back into the boy's punch and she bent over, gasping for breath. The boy knocked her feet out from under her, then kicked her in the ribs. She crouched defensively, snarling at her tormentors. The boy moved in for the kill.

"Leave her alone," the quiet command silenced the crowd.

They backed away from her, revealing her seatmate. He came toward the two combatants, crimson eyes fixing on the boy.

'_Weren't his eyes black?'_ Hana wondered.

She hadn't really paid attention to him, but she thought she would have noticed a detail like that. The boy stopped in front of her and offered her a hand up, not saying anything else. She accepted it hesitantly, wary as any wild animal.

"Kazuo-sensei will fix you up," Itachi said.

"I'm fine," Hana protested, wiping away the blood trailing from her lip.

His thin lips tilted up in the tiniest of smiles as his eyes faded back to onyx. Hana watched in fascination. So she hadn't been wrong then.

"You're quite stubborn, aren't you?" he asked.

She grinned back at him, fear quickly forgotten.

"Of course, I'm an Inuzuka!" she said proudly.

Itachi laughed at her and Hana caught startled looks from the other children. He must not laugh too often then. She leaned in close to her seatmate.

"And you are too serious," she confided, "I'll have to fix that."

Just like that, the two became friends. Or, more truthfully, that is how Hana became Itachi's friend. The Uchiha didn't have much choice in the matter. As he had seen, Hana was quite stubborn when she set her mind on something. She followed him everywhere, though admittedly Itachi did not try too hard to lose her. For two years, Uchiha Itachi and Inuzuka Hana were inseparable

.oOo.oOo.

**Thirteen years ago...**

.Uchiha Itachi stood beside his new sensei as he tied his new headband across his forehead. His onyx eyes scanned the crowd, easily picking out his proud parents and little brother. Beside them, Shisui gave him a subtle thumb's up and a wink. Itachi's lips quirked up in a tiny smile for his best friend. However, he didn't see the person he was most looking for. As soon after the ceremony as he could, he slipped away from his gloating father. At the age of seven, he was one of the youngest ever to graduate and all the villagers were hailing him as a prodigy of a quality not seen since Hatake Kakashi. Itachi cared nothing for their opinions, though. The villagers in general, and his clan in particular, were focused on what he could do for Konoha. He wanted to see the one person who truly cared about him for who he was, rather than his talent.

As he had expected, he found her at their secret meeting place—a hidden glen in the woods near a tiny stream. Her long brown hair fell into her face, hiding her features from him. Her hands trembled as she tossed tiny pebbles into the water. He didn't announce himself as he settled down next to her, knowing she had probably smelled him long before. Reaching over, he tucked her hair back behind her ear, giving him a view of her tear-stained face.

"Hana-chan," he said softly.

She mustered up a weak glare.

"You're leaving me!" she accused.

He sighed, "It's time. There is nothing more they can teach me at the academy."

She turned away from him, viciously casting almost her entire handful of pebbles into the water. Itachi knew that she was probably picturing his own face rather than the water. He edged away from her slightly. Sure, he was a genius, but facing Inuzuka Hana in a rage would terrify even the mighty Third Hokage.

"Promise you won't ever forget me?" she asked in a tiny voice, as though ashamed of her own question.

"I will never forget you, Hana. No matter what," Itachi vowed.

The pebbles fell to the ground as Hana threw herself into his arms, crying into his shoulder. Itachi's arms went around her and he held her quietly, his own face expressionless. He would miss the Inuzuka's companionship. His sensei and teammates were all good ninja, but Hana understood him better than even his cousin and best friend Shisui. He would die before ever admitting that to her, though she probably knew already.

After several minutes, she drew back from him, nose wrinkling as she sniffed the air.

"Your cousin is looking for you," she said quietly.

He nodded and rose to his feet.

"Otousan is probably furious that I left," he said, turning to leave.

Hana suddenly darted after him, hugging him one more time. As she pulled away, she impulsively kissed his cheek.

"For luck," she announced.

"I don't believe in luck," Itachi responded.

He left before she could see that he was blushing.

.oOo.oOo.

**Seven years ago…**

Hana was awakened from a sound sleep as someone climbed through her window. She sat up groggily in her bed, brow furrowing in confusion. The intruder reeked of blood but, beneath that, he smelled of lightning. Her brown eyes narrowed at the shadowed figure.

"Ita-kun?" she asked.

He was kneeling beside her futon in an instant, a hand pressed over her mouth.

"Not so loud, Hana-chan. They are hunting me," he whispered.

In the corner, the Haimaru Sankyoudai stirred, one of them whining anxiously. Hana waved her hand, letting them know she was all right, and the trio of canines subsided. Her eyes returned to the Uchiha.

"Who is hunting you?" she whispered.

Itachi rose, creeping back to the window and glancing outside. Hana followed him, clutching the oversized shirt which doubled as her sleeping attire close to her. She followed his gaze outside, even sniffing at the still night air, but could discern nothing over the cloying scent of blood which lingered on the boy beside her.

"I didn't think you had a mission yesterday," she said.

His eyes turned to her and she noticed for the first time that they were the crimson of Sharingan.

"I shouldn't have come here. They might think you were a part of this," he said aloud, though it was clear he was speaking more to himself.

Irritated, Hana pressed, "Who?"

Itachi suddenly turned, pinning the Inuzuka to the wall. His handsome face was close to her own and, despite the tenseness of the situation, Hana found herself blushing. Since Itachi's graduation from the academy, the two had obviously not spent as much time together as they once had, but in what time they did spend together, Hana had found to her horror that her relationship with the Uchiha was changing. More and more, she had noticed how handsome his aristocratic features were becoming, how amazing his unusually deep voice sounded…She fought hard against these strange feelings, not wanting to become just another fangirl to him. To hide the blush, she turned her head away from him.

Itachi lifted a hand, turning her chin back to fix her with his crimson gaze. His expression was even more serious and intense than usual.

"Hana-chan, promise you won't ever forget me?" he echoed her words from six years ago.

"Ita-kun, what's going-" she began, her worry escalating.

The Uchiha cut off her protest in the quickest way he could think of, and the best to gain her cooperation—he kissed her. It was the merest brush of lips, but enough to strike the thirteen-year old girl dumb.

"Promise me," he demanded.

The teenage boy had not been unaware of the way Hana had started blushing around him, nor of the way her lithe body was just beginning to fill out into the form of a woman. They were both too young for love, but Itachi knew that his relationship with Hana was unlike any other bond he had formed. She held some undefined position, a corner of his heart he had never realized he was giving away each time she made him smile or laugh. He wasn't quite certain what she was to him, but he knew that he did not want to leave Konoha without somehow binding her to him forever.

"I…promise," Hana whispered at last.

He gave her the tiniest of smiles, then he was gone.

The next day, Hana was brought into the Hokage's office. Her mother, Tsume, hovered close behind her, ready to launch into her daughter's defense. The elderly Sandaime held up a hand.

"I would speak to your daughter alone," he said.

Once they were alone, he rose and went to stand in front of the girl. Her eyes were red with tears and there was not even the hint of a smile on her usually cheerful face. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Can you tell me where Itachi went?" he asked.

She shook her head mutely. The Sandaime sighed and ushered her from his office, taking her to the Konoha hospital. He led her to an isolated room, quietly sliding open the door and motioning for Hana to look inside. Lying on the bed and looking utterly worn out and helpless was a little boy she recognized as Itachi's younger brother. The Hokage slid the door closed.

"He is the sole survivor. I know you were close to Itachi, Hana, but he must be brought to justice. That little boy is all alone in the world now because of his older brother's actions," he said.

Hana dared to growl at the old man.

"Killing Itachi won't bring back Sasuke-kun's parents!" she snarled, "Besides, I don't know where he went. Whether you believe me or not, he didn't tell me! I…I don't know why he came to my room last night…"

The Sandaime Hokage frowned at the obviously emotional child. She had refused to tell them what Itachi had been doing in her room before he fled Konoha, claiming that he had not woken her. The elderly man did not believe her on that count, though he was now convinced that she did indeed have no idea where Itachi had gone. He patted her shoulder.

"Thank you, Hana. You may return home now," he said.

Without a word, she went home and locked her door, curling up in the corner of her room. Her trio of dogs huddled up around her, patiently allowing the girl to cry into their fur.

* * *

I really don't have time to be writing this, since I have another paper due Tuesday, but the idea wouldn't leave me alone until it was written down. Next chapter will be launching into the trap for Itachi, but I felt a flashback chapter was needed. Hopefully it gave you some insight into Hana and Itachi's relationship. again, I am hoping Itachi stayed IC. He is so stubborn about that sometimes. n.n

If anyone suddenly decides to hate my OC, Kazuo-sensei, let me reassure you by saying that he was killed when the Kyuubi attacked and will never show up again. Poor guy, I already planned his death before I ever wrote him in.

**Tinejensen:** Thank you, thank you, thank you!! You are officially my hero for showing me that website. It was very helpful.

**Akai-sora:** I love your proposed conversation between Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi. You have their characters down very well considering you don't know much about them. Had I been shooting for humor, it would be a wonderful addition, but I'm more of an angsty kind of person, so long as it has a happy ending. n.n

Thanks to **Music Lover Always, NewRageInc., SmallButPowerful, CheeseMaiden, **and **Rukia23** for your wonderful reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

YAY! I am officially finished my first year of college and I decided to celebrate by posting another chapter. I hope it's good, since my brain is a little fried from finals.

Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Kishimoto-sama. Selfish genius that he is, he refuses to share it with me. "Dancing with the Devil" belongs to Breaking Benjamin.

* * *

Part Four

_Trembling, crawling _

_Across my skin.  
Feeling your cold dead eyes, _

_Stealing the life of mine._

Truthfully, Itachi knew better than to believe he was placed under a genjutsu. But, sometimes, he preferred to believe that than to acknowledge that it was his own mind, no, his own _heart_ doing this to him. However, Itachi was not the kind of person to suffer fools, especially not when that fool was himself.

Therefore, he informed himself that he was a complete idiot, even as he shifted from branch to branch in order to stay downwind of the person he was watching. She didn't know that he was there and he wanted it to stay that way. Bad enough that Kisame was aware of this weakness of his without letting her realize the power she somehow held over him.

Crimson eyes narrowed on her lithe figure. Her trio of canines were curled up in a pile of gray fur by a tree, careful to remain out of the way of their mistress' weapons. A grunt drifted to his ears as she flung the kunai in her hand, followed by a snarl of frustration when it impacted the wood just above her target. His thin lips quirked upward in the tiniest of smiles. He had always been better at her when it came to weapons. It was nice to see that that, at least, had not changed. He edged closer to her, so intent on his prey that he actually failed to notice an approaching chakra signature.

.oOo.oOo.

Inuzuka Tsume landed beside a masked ANBU, her brown eyes gleaming with anger. She had just learned of the Hokage's plan to capture the Uchiha traitor using her own daughter and, needless to say, she was livid. There was no mistaking that silver hair, so she knew exactly who she was addressing.

"Hatake, this is ridiculous. There is no way my daughter-" she began.

His mask turned toward her and she caught the glint of crimson through one eye slit. It seemed the Copy Nin was not playing around. Her ire eased slightly. If Kakashi was convinced that Itachi would be after her daughter…then perhaps it was a more viable option than she had thought.

"Is this necessary though? If the Uchiha was nearby, I am certain she would alert the ANBU forces herself," she tried.

Again, the masked jounin silenced her with a single look. He raised a finger to the place in his mask where a mouth would be, then nodded his head toward the clearing where Hana was training. Tsume followed his gaze and her breath caught in her throat. She rose from her crouch to help her daughter, but Kakashi wrapped a warning hand around her arm. His narrowed eyes told her to stay down and be quiet. Scowling, the Inuzuka matriarch complied. If Itachi harmed one hair on her daughter's head, he would pay for it with a gallon of his own blood.

.oOo.oOo.

As Hana had begun to ready another kunai, she suddenly felt someone appear directly behind her. Her fingers tightened on the kunai, preparing herself to drive it into her attacker's torso and escape, but a long-fingered hand closed about her wrist. The scent of lightning drifted to her nose at the same time Itachi's breath stirred the loose hair which had come free from her ponytail.

"Relax, Hana," he murmured, "Your posture is too stiff."

Despite her better instincts, a soft laugh escaped her mouth at the familiar words. How many times had he uttered them when they trained together as children? She had always been to intense, to wrapped up in what she was trying to do to realize how tense her form had become. The laugh choked to a halt in her throat as Itachi shifted closer to her, hand moving over hers to help guide the kunai. She held her breath as he drew her arm back, releasing the kunai when his fingers urged her to. The weapon sank into the very center of the target.

Itachi released her hand and stepped away. When she turned, she found him watching her with onyx eyes, his expression inscrutable. This time, she was the one who closed the distance between them though she stopped short of touching him. Her eyes darted away from him as she glanced at the Haimaru Sankyodai. All of them had raised their heads at Itachi's entrance, but they would not attack unless she showed signs of fear or anger. Her eyes lifted back to meet Itachi's and she smiled ruefully. He was so serious.

"Why do I get the feeling that you haven't smiled in seven years?" she asked.

Those onyx eyes darkened, if possible. She was ensnared by them, drawn in as she had always been.

"You weren't there," he said simply.

His face was suddenly so close to hers and she was drowning in his eyes. She tore her gaze away from his, becoming aware of her shortened breath and flushed cheeks. Desperate to find a safe place the rest her eyes, she lowered her head until she was staring at his chest. She stared blankly for a moment before it sunk in that his torso was practically bare, covered only by a mesh shirt. He had left his Akatsuki cloak? Her eyes traveled down his sleekly muscled chest until she realized that she was ogling the chest of the infamous Uchiha Itachi, a traitor to her beloved village. A slight squeak slipped from her mouth as she jerked her eyes back up to his. She immediately regretted the action. His dark eyes were practically smoldering. Hana froze like a frightened animal, terrified of the feelings that gaze was stirring within her.

"Hana," he said softly.

She couldn't give in to him. She needed to find some way to distract them both so that she could get a handle on this stupid crush that she had thought was long dead. Again, she pulled her gaze from his, this time noticing the deep lines stress had carved into his pale face. Afraid to look back at his chest, she mentally recalled that his form was practically nothing but lean muscle stretched over bones. His bulky cloak usually hid it, but the Uchiha was unhealthily thin. She lifted a hand to trace the marks on his face, noting how his onyx eyes slid closed as she touched his skin. For a man whose greatest strength rested in his sight, the action showed amazing trust in her.

"You haven't been taking care of yourself," she stated.

Her hand moved from the mark she had been fingering to his cheek, feeling the angular bone which stood out prominently against his hollowed cheeks. His aristocratic features had helped to pull off the sharp angles created from pushing himself too hard for too long, but with her hand on him, she could feel how thin he was. His proud head dipped slightly in recognition of her statement and, over his shoulder, she caught sight of a blur of motion. Moving on pure instinct, her hand fell to his shoulder and she shoved Itachi away from her just as the chirping of a thousand birds filled the air.

Kakashi, to his credit, managed to pull back the blow so that it only grazed Hana, rather than nearly killing her as he had meant to harm Itachi. The Uchiha had been thoroughly caught off guard by the attack, his defenses lowered in Hana's soothing presence. Still, he recovered himself from the shove quickly and his eyes bled to crimson as he turned to face the Copy Nin.

Hana gasped as blazing pain seared through her and she hunched over, slender hands lifting toward her stomach. Itachi was suddenly in front of her, halting her from touching the bleeding wound. Behind him, he sensed Kakashi preparing to attack again, having judged that Hana's wound was not life-threatening. He bent slightly, lifting the woman into his arms as Tsume burst into the clearing. Her brown eyes narrowed at the sight of her daughter injured and being used as a shield. Her fangs bared in a snarl. The Haimaru Sankyodai surged to their feet at this silent command from their alpha female, but Itachi didn't stay to see the fireworks. He was long gone before the two Konoha jounin even registered that he had left.

He paused miles away, sick at the feeling of Hana's blood against his skin. He laid her on the ground, easing to his knees beside her. He didn't utter the words of apology that were screaming through his mind. He hadn't meant to put her in danger by showing himself. She caught the look in his eyes and lifted her hand to touch his cheek, stopping his whirling thoughts. Their gazes locked and, again, Itachi relaxed. The amount of power this woman held over him was frightening. He lifted a hand and it glowed green with chakra.

Hana's eyebrows furrowed. How did he-oh, that's right…the Sharigan could copy any form of jutsu. Of course it would extend to medical jutsus as well. His free hand tugged aside her shirt to expose her bloodied abdomen, then she felt the soothing warmth of his chakra as it eased the pain. Her head fell back against the grass. Itachi withdrew his hand as soon as he was done and smoothed her shirt back into place. She suddenly jerked upright and he had to pull back his head to avoid hers. Her brown eyes held a hint of panic.

"I saved you from Kakashi-san," she gasped.

His crimson eyes narrowed. Her own expression was almost childlike as she looked up at him.

"Does this…make me a traitor to Konoha too?' she whispered.

Itachi sat back on his heels, thinking for a moment. In the most technical sense, yes, it did. She had aided the escape of a wanted man. But he knew that Tsunade was not one to abide by the letter of the law. She was like the Third, looking at the heart of the matter. Surely she would see that Hana would never betray her beloved home village.

"No, Hana. You didn't know what you were doing," he responded.

Her guileless brown eyes met his own.

"But I did…I was saving you," she said.

His eyes changed back to calm onyx. He sensed Kakashi's chakra nearing their location. He didn't have long. He lifted a hand to touch her cheek, making sure her eyes stayed on his.

"Hana, promise me that you will forget about me," he commanded.

Hana's mind instantly flashed back to the night of the Uchiha massacre, when he had demanded the exact opposite promise from her. She bit her lip in confusion.

"Itachi-" she said.

His eyes closed, then opened as he stood. His gaze lifted to the forest behind her, as if searching for something. When she sniffed the air, she could smell Kakashi's scent, closely followed by her mother's. Itachi shifted and she knew instinctively that he was leaving her again. She scrambled to her feet, laying a hand on his arm.

"Itachi!" her tone had risen, become more insistent.

His eyes returned to her, hard and commanding.

"Forget me, Hana. You are a Leaf-nin, and I am Akatsuki. You can't live your life dancing with the devil," he said, referring to her words the night that had started this.

She had called him a devil then, seeing no trace of the boy that she had once loved. But now, as he watched her with those dark eyes, he was hers again. Her hand tightened around his arm, as though she could force him to stay.

"Ita-kun," she said.

But he was gone and she was alone. Kakashi landed beside her only seconds later, followed in short order by Tsume and the Haimaru Sankyodai. The canines clustered around Hana, whining their apologies for failing her yet again. The young woman saw the way Kakashi's mask dipped to her stomach, noting the healed wound, and the way his tense stance slumped. His mismatched eyes rested on her accusingly.

"Come, Hana. You have a lot to answer for," he said.

Without waiting for an answer, he turned back in the direction of Konoha. Hana turned her head to find her mother scrutinizing her as well.

"What were you thinking?" Tsume demanded.

"I wasn't," Hana supplied Itachi's answer, turning from her mother to follow Kakashi.

After all, she couldn't tell her mother that she was thinking that she had fallen in love with the most infamous mass murderer in Konoha's history.

* * *

So, there it is. There is still one more chapter left in this story, and there will likely be a sequel.

**Cheese Maiden:** Well, that gives you a bit of a view of how Tsume is taking Itachi's presence in Hana's life. More from Tsume and Kiba in the next chapter!

**BlackPheonix:** For purposes of the story, I am saying that Hana was only able to distinguish the scent of blood. The Inuzuka nose might be capable of detecting whose blood it was, but it didn't fit my plots for Hana to be able to tell that he had killed his family.

**NazaliaSan:** I know. It is very fishy that Hana just HAPPENS to be the same age as Itachi. -cough-cough- I would throw in some Sasori for you, but sadly only the first chapter took place while our dear Sand-nin was alive. The first chapter took place while Naruto was on his way back to Konoha. The second chapter took place during the Gaara arc (when Sakura killed Sasori), and this chapter takes place after the failed attempt to capture Sasuke, once Kakashi is out of the hospital.

Also, thanks to **NewRageInc., Rukia23, Tinejensen, Akai-sora, The lost kitsune 4, **and **SmallButPowerful** for reviewing.

Give the review button some love!


	5. Chapter 5

**EDIT on 9.15.08:** Just wanted to let ya'll know that the sequel to this story has been posted. It is called 'Let the World Crash.' You can find it on my profile, or by doing a search.

Sorry for disappearing off the face of the earth. Life's been crazy lately. Anyway, look for updates on When You Say You Love Me, It's Not Over, and Stutter and All next week (hopefully).

Disclaimer: -sigh- No, Kishimoto-san is still hoarding Naruto. He won't even give me a little piece of it. Breaking Benjamin owns "Dance with the Devil."

* * *

Part Five

_I won't last long_

_In this world so wrong._

_Say goodbye_

_As we dance with the devil tonight._

Kisame looked up from the dancing flames of his campfire as a familiar chakra signature entered the clearing. His teasing greeting died on his lips when he saw his partner.

"What happened, Itachi-san?" he questioned.

The Uchiha sat gracefully on the other side of the fire, turning his head to bring his wet hair closer to the heat of the flames. He lifted a hand and green chakra came to his fingertips. He used the medical chakra to probe a long cut across his shoulder.

"Ambushed by Hunter-nin," Itachi said shortly.

His expression was as blank as always, but his partner of many years could sense the anger simmering just below the uncaring façade. Whatever, had happened, the Uchiha prodigy did not want to speak of it.

"Your cloak?" Kisame pressed, knowing he was treading on thin ice.

His hand was unconsciously stroking Samehada's hilt, ready to lift his weapon should he need to. He had fought Itachi when the Uchiha was not holding back only one time, just after the then-thirteen-year old had joined Akatsuki. Kisame had openly questioned why a child had joined their organization and had subsequently battled Itachi. He still had the scars to prove how badly he had lost. It was not an experience he would like to repeat.

"Che," the Uchiha responded, closing his eyes.

Kisame's fear deepened. Though he was by no means eloquent, Itachi preferred not to express himself through grunts. The shark-nin sat back on his side of the fire, somewhat grateful for the barrier between them. It was best for his peace of mind that he ignore the fact that several of his companion's most powerful attacks were fueled by fire.

Instead of contemplating that thought, he studied the eldest Uchiha as Itachi resumed healing his wounds. Kisame, though certainly not the most intelligent of the Akatsuki, was also no idiot. He would not have reached this point in his career if he was stupid. Thus, the blue-skinned ninja devoted himself to picking apart what the Uchiha had said and done since entering the campsite.

The Sharingan-user was cautious almost to the point of paranoia, which made his use of the word 'ambush' quite interesting. Since he spoke as little as possible, every word Itachi used was deliberately chosen to convey exactly what he meant. An ambush by definition was a surprise attack, meaning that the Uchiha had been caught off guard by it. The facts all boiled down to one thing, or person really. Committing himself to fate, Kisame once again opened his mouth.

"That Leaf kunoichi is getting to you," he said.

The slightest glint of red was his only warning before Itachi stood. Despite himself, Kisame flinched. He knew that, if Itachi meant to attack him, they would already by fighting. The Uchiha turned away from the fire.

"Let's head back," he stated.

Kisame stood, placing Samehada into its position on his back. He made a hand sign, summoning just enough water to put out the fire, then kicked dirt over the ashes. In a matter of seconds, it was impossible to tell that the campsite ever existed. He walked toward his companion, but paused.

"What about your cloak?" he asked.

Konoha possessed the Inuzuka clan, not to mention Hatake Kakashi and his nin dog summons. If they got a hold of an Akatsuki member's cloak, they might be able to trail them all the way to headquarters.

"Not an issue," Itachi said, leaping to the nearest tree branch.

Grumbling to himself, Kisame followed him.

.oOo.oOo.

Hana stood quietly in the Hokage's office, head bowed as Tsunade yelled at her. Her mother stood beside her, showing support despite her disapproval. Kakashi had left after reporting the results of his mission, but Hana could clearly picture the frustration in his single eyes as he'd looked back at her from the window. The Copy Nin had been so close to finishing once and for all one of Konoha's greatest enemies, but she had single-handedly ensured that Itachi escaped unharmed. She deserved whatever punishment the Hokage was planning to give her. At last, Tsunade's tirade wound down.

"I should strip you of your rank, make you a genin again," she said severely.

"She wasn't thinking," Tsume defended, knowing it was a weak argument.

"She should know better than to betray her village, even if she wasn't thinking!" the Hokage snarled, pulling a tiny bottle from her drawer and taking a swig from it.

Shizune, who had been standing silently by this whole time, stirred at last. She reached out and plucked the bottle of sake from her mistress' hand, calmly emptying its contents out the window. Tsunade glared at her apprentice, but quickly returned her fury to Hana.

"Give me a day to consider your case, then I will pronounce judgment on you," she said.

Hana bowed and whispered, "Yes, Hokage-sama."

Her mother led the way from the office, Hana following like a puppy with its tail between its legs. She was braced for a verbal lashing from her mother., but Tsume remained rigidly silent. The Inuzuka clan head would wait until they reached the Inuzuka compound before laying into her eldest.

However, Kiba was waiting for them when they opened the door.

"Is it true?" he growled.

Hana nodded.

Her little brother's brown eyes, usually so filled with love and admiration, showed only contempt. He launched himself at her, connecting a solid punch which sent her lithe form to the ground. He followed her, landing several more solid punches before Tsume pulled him off. He was breathing heavily.

"He's a murderer, Hana! He killed his entire clan! Why did you protect him?" he demanded.

Hana remained silent. Kiba stared at her a moment longer, tears starting to fill his eyes.

"I hate you!" he shouted at last, jerking away from Tsume and stalking away.

The clan head watched her daughter lower her head to hide her own tears. She held back her own anger, knowing Hana couldn't take much more. Family loyalty ran stronger than ties to the village, so she turned away.

"Go to your room and stay there until I call for you," she said gruffly.

Hana rose and went to her room, shutting her door against the three dogs who trailed her. They barked and whined at the wood, but at last settled in a bundle of fur in the hallway.

Hana leaned against the other side of the door for a long moment, head back and eyes closed as tears continued to trickle down her face. She knew what she was going to do…and it broke her heart. Moving slowly, she pushed herself off the door and went to her closet. She pulled out a pack, then began to fill it with civilian clothes. Finally, she laid a picture of her family—father included—on the top, cushioning it with several shirts. She glanced out at the darkening sky. Maybe another hour and she would be able to slip out of Konoha unseen. The young woman sank onto her bed, pulling her pillow to her chest and curling around it. She fought back the urge to cry, instead waiting as the town fell asleep. When she judged it time at last, she pulled her headband from its place on her forehead, cradling it in her hands for a moment. Then, she drew a kunai from her leg holster and drew an ugly line across the beloved symbol of her home. She left the headband on her pillow, pulling the pack onto her back and slipping through the window.

She was uncontested as she journeyed through the quiet streets. She slipped over the wall, not wanting to risk trying to pass the guards at the gate. She had finally gotten far enough away to breathe a sigh of relief when she sensed a chakra signature approaching. She tensed, then realized that it was coming from in front of her. An ANBU member was coming toward her, clutching something in his hands. A shaft of moonlight hit it, illuminating dark fabric and bloody clouds.

_'Itachi's cloak,'_ she realized.

Gathering her courage, she darted toward the other ninja, snatching the cloak from his hands and fleeing for her life. He shouted after her, but there was no way she was stopping. When she reached the border between the Fire Country and Rain Country, she paused. Lifting the cloak to her face, she inhaled Itachi's scent; then, she stuffed it in her pack and sniffed at the air. Ever so faintly, she could discern the scent of lightning. Not daring to glance back at her home country, Hana started after the scent. It was time to end this dance with the devil.

-THE END-

Look for a sequel coming soon!

* * *

So? What do you ladies and gents think? Believable? Please leave a review and let me know!

**SmallButPowerful**: I love the idea. Sakura and Hana should so definitely form a club. n.n

**Rukia23**: Yes, Tsume is very angry, as is Kiba. And things will only get worse after they find Hana's headband. How fun it is to put Kishimoto's poor characters into difficult situations. n.n

**Akai-sora**: Thanks for pointing that out. I noticed it after I posted, but I was too tired to go back and edit it. I was hoping no one would notice, but I guess it was a vain hope. ;)

**NazaliaSan**: Nope, this was a pure ItaHana fic. No other pairings would dare intrude upon their spotlight! n.n

Also, many thanks to **Kethers Bliss**, **Cheese Maiden**, **Tinejensen**, **Guiltshow**, and **ANBUpanda** (love the name!) for their reviews. Again, please take time to drop me a sentence or two about whether you liked (or didn't like) my story, or how you see ways for improvement!


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